behind bars

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The difference shapes how much time Sharifullah could spend behind bars — the more serious charge was eligible for a life sentence.

From Salon • May 19, 2026

Rodriguez, who served as Maduro's vice president, has also pushed through an amnesty law that led to the release of hundreds of political prisoners, though some 500 remain behind bars.

From Barron's • May 11, 2026

"The home secretary has signed a landmark new deal with France to boost enforcement action on beaches and put people smugglers behind bars," they added.

From BBC • May 9, 2026

During her nearly four decades behind bars, Broderick became eligible for parole twice — once in 2010 and again in 2017.

From Los Angeles Times • May 9, 2026

One in 9 black men between the ages of twenty and thirty-five was behind bars in 2006, and far more were under some form of penal control—such as probation or parole.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander